Quote from Ndubuisi Ekekwe on August 7, 2023, 9:13 PM

As labour costs rise in Asian factories, if Africa is prepared, some jobs can make it into the continent. But of course, we are not. That said, over the next few decades, as China rises, any African country that gets it right will ascend.

Subsidized childcare, free yoga classes: Those are just some of the perks Asian factories are now offering in an attempt to woo young workers who are uninterested in factory life, The Wall Street Journal reports. These twentysomethings are better educated and have more exposure to the wider world (via social media) than their parents did; they know there are other places they can make more money to work less. As labor costs rise with these attempts to attract workers, many American companies that have long relied on inexpensive Asian factory labor are finding it's time to rethink their production model.

American furniture company Lovesac, for example, plans to move some production to the U.S., starting with an automated factory in North Carolina. Asian factories used by Apple, The Gap, Adidas and Lululemon have in recent years come under scrutiny for allegations of worker abuse including violence, harassment and denial of meal and bathroom breaks.